


Flowing

by Mira_Mira



Series: Inktober 2018 [10]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Mentions of Other Voltron Paladins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-23 08:12:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16155095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mira_Mira/pseuds/Mira_Mira
Summary: Allura talks to Lance and discovers a new way of thinking.





	Flowing

**Author's Note:**

> Set in season 1, Allura is still feeling out the paladins. Thoughts about how quintessence works with the lion bonds and how personal views effect that.

Allura was looking for someone. Ever since the new paladins had been chosen she could feel their quintessence further settling into the lion-paladin bonds. Each had already been supremely matched for the bond, each aspect presented in their quintessence. Shiro felt strong, sure, ever changing and growing, a good match for the Leader of the Pride and Guardian of the Sky. Keith almost burned her when she looked at him. He was bright, volatile, and burning with something. She could never pinpoint what that something was, but it gave him instincts she had rarely seen outside of the Garla. The Guardian of Fire had chosen well, even if the test could have been done at a later date. Pidge, while intelligent, reminded her of the life found in nature. The way she thought and the way she planed was extraordinary, much like a small forest cat hunting for larger prey. The Forest Guardian would have much fun with her pilot. The only male had chosen well too. Strong, faithful, loyal, dependable and intelligent, Hunk and the Guardian of the Land had the least work to do for their quintessence to merge completely. However it seemed as if Shiro and Keith would be the first to do so, as odd as that was. Taking another turn she wondered where the subject of her current predicament was. She had checked the kitchen, lounge, and training room. Delicate frown decorating her face she walked to the last place she could think of, the lion hanger.

 

Turning the last corner she walked into the Blue Lion’s bay. She was majestic, standing proud and strong. At her base she spied her query. Lance was the only odd one out of the group. His quintessence was smooth, gentle, peaceful and unfathomably deep. His quintessence was  _ vast _ , larger then even Shiro’s. It was puzzling, as both the Leader of the Pride and the Guardian of Sky he should have the most, with Land and Forest coming in second. At first she thought it was because he had found his lion first but it hadn’t changed. It was frustrating.

 

Sighing she called out, “Lance, can I have a moment?”

 

“Sure! What can I do for the lovely Princess?” And queue the eyebrow wiggle thing he seemed so fond of. Mentaling stealing herself for the conversation she closed her eyes, breathed in and exhaled. Opening her eyes she met startling blue. Lance’s head tilted in question, brows creased ever so slightly.

 

“I want to ask you something. Something regarding your Lion.”

 

“Sure, though I don’t know if I can tell you anything you don’t already know… and Hunk or Pidge would be the best for techy stuff.” Sticking his tongue out in what seemed to be mild disgust he seemed to remember who he was with, a blush dusting his cheeks.

 

“It’s specifically about the bond you two share, so I would not be able to go to anyone else and I would not know it either,” she just managed to stop the smile that wanted to escape. “You see, each Pilot’s quintessence is mirrored by their Lion, from fell to size. The Leader of the Pride has the largest quintessence, with either Land or Forest coming in second. For some reason you have the largest, with Shiro coming I far behind you. Do you know why?” She was met with a clueless stair. She supposed he wouldn’t, but she had so hoped. About to tell him that it didn’t matter he interrupted her.

 

“Blue said that it’s because of how each Pilot views the element they Guard. The more… not understanding, but something close to that, the more likely they will have a quintessence that the Lion can help bolster and grow.” Blinking she took in the information.

 

“So quintessence is not set and can grow. That’s the first time I’ve heard of it, but there maybe something in the Castile’s archives. If how much it can grow is based on how the Pilot sees the element their Lion Guards… what does that mean?” It didn’t make sense, not really. How can differently could you view an element?

 

Humming Lance frowned, lips pursed and finger tapping. Pausing, he looked at her, nodded and then promptly turned around and sat on top of Blue’s paw. Patting the area next to him he asked a question, “Princess, what do you think of a stream?”

 

“What does that have to do with anything?” Sitting she turned baffled eyes on him.

 

“A lot I think, but just answer. When I say a word I want you to describe what you think of, OK?” Hesitating she nodded, it sounded fine and it looked as if he was taking this seriously. “OK, once again stream.”

 

“Small, water, plant life, easily dried up.”

 

“How about… river.”

 

“A… large stream?”

 

“That’s it? No, wait never mind. Next one. Uhhhh… pond.”

 

“A body of water for animals to gather at, relatively shallow and small.”

 

“… right, now try lake.”

 

“A large body of water, lots of animals use it for drinking and to live it. Most are fairly deep and large.”

 

“And I’m seeing a pattern. Ok, this ones different. I want you to tell me the difference between the sea and the ocean.”

 

“Seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where the land and the ocean meet.”

 

“OK, sure.” Confused and slightly offended she demanded that he explain himself. “Well, for starters all of you explanations were really scientific. No problem with that, but I think that’s where the difference is. You guys are used to looking at and interacting with things scientifically, and that’s how everything fits for you. But that’s  _ you _ . Everyone has a different way of looking and interacting with their world. For me I think of streams as water curling it’s way through a forest. Sometimes gone, sometimes there but a mark of it always present. For rivers I think of water that has battled its way into the Earth, strong and powerful. I think of rapids the turn the water white as they continue to dig into the Earth. Ponds I think of as places were the water will stay, should it chose too. Lakes are large, proud of what life they can support. And the sea and ocean…” here he pauses, eyes so far away, “ to me the words are interchangeable. Life on earth needs water. And as such we moved near places that have water. From the sea that provides us food to the lakes and rivers that provide us fresh water. We moved to these places and learned to thrive there, but just as water grants us life, it will also rip it away. Tsunamis remind us that our lives are small in the scheme of things, flash floods remind us that the rushing river is a monster in waiting. The human race knows more about  _ space _ then we do about the depths of our oceans. I think of water as life and death, deep and powerful and prideful and deserving of respect. I think this because you never know what mood she’s in, she could grant you safe passage or drown you just as easily. I think that’s we’re the difference is. I think of the Blue’s element not as a set of scientific facts, but as a living entity, one that chooses if you live or die.” Blue eyes turned to her. Her breath caught. His eyes were the same as always, but now so close she could see how quickly they could become a storm. Stretching out her awareness she sensed the shifting of his quintessence, something she had always dismissed before now became a reminder. A reminder of how  _ powerful _ the ocean and the sea, the rivers and streams were. Even on Altea they had respected and taken shelter when the storms came. It was the one element they have never truly tamed, and now she wonder if they had tamed it at all. With a blink the spell was broken and she forced herself to look away, breath quietly shuttering in her lungs.

 

“I see your point… do you think that’s why Hunk has such a large amount as well?”

 

“You would have to ask him, but Hunk and I come from islands with cultures that are still heavily celebrated today. But living on an island gives you respect for the ocean.” With a shrug he tilted his head a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips as he gazed up at Blue. Thanking him she quietly got up and moved out of the hanger, with a glance back she thought about what they had discussed. Somehow she thought that the others, excluding Hunk, wouldn’t really understand what he was talking about. She certainly hadn’t, but it did bring up a point, they were all different. The new paladins weren’t any species she had interacted with before, and to make them the most effective force she could she needed to know about them. A sharp nod and she was off. She had a leader to find and politely interrogate.


End file.
